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WILLIAM WINDOM. 



WINDOM 



THE MAN AND THE SCHOOL 



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By ROBERT P. HERRICK, D. D. 

PRESIDENT OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES 
WINDOM INSTITUTE 



PRESS OF 

BYRON & WILLARD 

MINNEAPOLIS 






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Author. 
(Parson). 



Windom The Man The School 



THE MAN 



Because I want the students and friends of Win- 
doni Institute to know how great and how good a man 
their school seeks to honor I set down here in briefest 
form an account of William Windom's illustrious ca- 
reer. 

His English ancestors, both paternal and maternal, 
were Quakers, who, coming first to Virginia, settled in 
Ohio two generations before Windom's birth. The 
language and customs of the Quakers and their deeply 
religious spirit marked the pioneer home where Will- 
iam Windom was born on the "loth day of the 5th 
month," in 1827. 

When the lad was ten years old the family removed 
to Knox county, in about the center of Ohio, wdiich 
was then remote from markets and a frontier com- 
numitv indeed. Communication with the outer world 
came only at rare intervals, the settlement being self- 
suf^cient in the manufacture of clothing and the pro- 
vision of most of its wants. There was poverty, if the 
lack of money makes poverty ; there was competency, 
if comfortable shelter, warm clothing, plentiful larders 
and simple wants make a competency. The farmer's 
l)oy learned at any rate t(^ l)e undismayed at hard work, 
and all the discouragements and difficulties of a fron- 
tierman's life. An obstacle was only something 



to be calmly met and overcome. A difficulty was 
only a challenge to cheerful effort. Pluck, pa- 
tience, persistence, indomitable industry and bi.uli 
courage — these the farm gave. High moral and re- 
ligious standards, unswerving integrity, unwavering 
faith and an undying reverence for Cod's day and 
God's book — these that simple home ga\e him 

But faith stirs ambition and the }()ung man's heart 
became set on gaining an education and entering the 
profession of the law. In the Ouaker home this an- 
nouncement produced consternation. A Quaker be- 
come a lawyer and contend in the courts ! Heaven for- 
bid ! But A\ illiam was a good son and true, and tinally 
won the famil}- to the sup])ort of his plans. 

Living in this remote neighborhood the lad was 
out of touch with such systematic courses of study as 
the public schools of the city demanded, but fc^rtunate- 
ly there existed at .Martinsl)urg, ( )hio, an academy over 
which there presided a most competent and thorough in- 
structor who. having the discernment to perceive young 
Windom's unusual abilities, took a deep personal interest 
in conducting his studies, and here he completed his gen- 
eral education. For the study of the law he entered the of- 
fice of Judge R. C. Hurd. of Mount X'ernon, and in 1850, 
at the age of twenty-three, he was admitted to the bar. 
The summers of the years of preparation were spent 
in the rugged work of the farm, and at least one of the 
winters found William Windom behind the school-teach- 
er's desk. Xo farmer's child toils harder for an acad- 
emy education today than did A\^illiam Windom more 
than fifty years ago, and of this earl}- toil and dit^- 

6 



culty the mature statesman was never ashamed. 

Mr. W'indom spent five years in the practice of law in 
]\It. X'ernon, (Jhio, and was at the very outset of his 
career elected prosecuting^ attorney for Knox Co. But 
the rapidlv orowino; territory of Minnesota seemed to 
beckon, him and there, in the town of Winona, he hung 
out his sign as attorney and counselor at law, in the year 
1855, and challenged Fortune. 

The abilities and many attractive personal qualities 
of the vouno- attornev soon won for him both friends and 
clients, and the following year his prosperity was such as 
to warrant him in assuming new responsibilities. 

His choice had long before been made, and in August, 
iSs(k he married in Warwick, Mass., ]Miss Ellen Towne 
Hatch, daughter of the Rev. R. C. Hatch, and established 
the happiest of homes. It may here be added that Air. 
W^indom himself ascribed the measure of success which 
henceforth attended him largel}- to the felicities of his 
domestic life, which he enjoyed to an unusual degree. 

Three years after his arrival in Winona the attor- 
nev, now in his thirty-second year, was nominated 
and elected to Congress, thus leaving practically for 
all the future the professional for the i)ublic career. 
Four times was he re-elected to this honorable and re- 
sponsible position, thus completing a continuous serv- 
ice of ten years, covering the most crucial period in our 
country's history. 

His eminent service in the House led naturally to 
promotion to the United States Senate. This came 
originally through his appointment in 1869 to fill an 
unexpired term ; but the honor was confirmed by the 

7 



Minnesota Legislature throug-h his election in 187 1 
and his re-election in 1877. During this term Senator 
Windom had the honor of having his name pre- 
sented as candidate for the Presidency to the National 
Repuhlican Convention (1880) where, for twenty- 
eight liallots it was kept to the front. This douht- 
less led to his entering the Calimet as Secretary 
of the Treasury (1881) through the invitation of Presi- 
dent Garfield. When death terminated the administra- 
tion of his chief. Secretary \\'in(lom resigned his port- 
folio : but was returned to the Senate in the fall of 1881 
to serve the remainder of that term. His value to the 
great interests of tlte Treasury ne])artment was again 
recognized in 1881; by President Harrison, who called 
him to resume the honors and Iturdens of that depart- 
ment. It was nearly two years that he had served his 
country in this position — a time of peculiar respon- 
sibility to the financial officer of the government — 
when that memorable bantiuet and great speech were 
given in Wnv York. 

The P)oard of Trade and Transportation of New 
York, perhaps luore than any other organization, has 
its hand upon the pulse of our national life, \\dien. 
therefore, the over-burdened .Sccretar}- of the Treasury' 
was asked to give the address at their great annual 
banquet he put aside all personal considerations and 
availed himself of this ojjportunity for addressing him- 
self to the ear of the nation upon those great questions 
which were fundamental to the prosperity of his coun- 
try. 

On the evening of Thursday, the 29th of January. 



1891, there assembled at Delmonico's in New York 
City, at the invitation of the Board, a company of 
notable statesmen and the great merchants of the city, 
to listen to the Secretary's address. William Windom 
was surrounded at the banquet board by such men as 
Benjamin F. Tracy, then Secretary of the Navy; Dar- 
win S. James. Secretary of the Board; John W. Long- 
ley, Attorney General, Nova Scotia; ^lurat Halstead; 
Thos. F. Bayard. Ex-Secretary of State: W. H. H. 
Aliller, then Attorney General : Wilfred Laurier, later 
Premier of Canada; William H. Webb and Orlando B. 
Parker ; with Ambrose Snow, as President of the 
Board. 

Secretary Windom, greeted with tumultuous ap- 
plause, when introduced by Judge Arnoux, announced 
his subject as "Our Country's Prosperity Dependent 
Upon Its Instruments of Commerce." Two phases 
of the subject were treated in the forty-three minutes 
allowed; — "Transportation, the movement by which 
commodities change place, and Money, the vehicle by 
which commodities change ownership." Something 
of the breadth, scope and profundity of this historic 
address may be inferred from this division of the sub- 
ject. The speech itself is thus characterized by At- 
torney General Miller: "It approved itself as a great 
speech and it was delivered with a fervor and earnest- 
ness and an oratorical power which 1 had never before 
observed in Mr. Windom. and which I have rarely seen 
surpassed by anyone. It was a great speech delivered in 
a masterly manner, and it produced a profound im- 
pression on all who heard it." 

9 



In spite of a specific request from the speaker that 
applause be omitted, when he had been interrupted, 
the lofty sentiments and sterling convictions of the ad- 
dress called forth repeated applause and approval with 
almost every paragraph. At its close the enthusiasm 
of the great assembly could scarce be restrained and 
even after the "bewildering" applause at the close, and 
when the toast-master was about to resume, at a call 
from the audience, the guests arose in a body and gave 
three vociferous cheers for the Secretary of the Treas- 
ury. Mr. Windom bowed his thanks. The introduc- 
tion of the next speaker had just begun when those 
near the Secretary were startled to see his head droop 
as in faintness. He was conveyed immediately to an 
ante-room and all possible effort made to restore him, 
but in vain. The spirit of the great Christian states- 
man had, in that moment of triumph, left the earthly 
house for the heaxenly home. 

The event, so dramatic in its sadness, made a pro- 
found impression upon the nation. Amid honors rare- 
ly accorded except to a dead president the body was 
borne to Washington. By order of ['resident Harri- 
son, issued by Secretary IMaine, all departments of the 
Government were ordered to manifest due respect to 
William Windom's memory, and the Treasury in all 
its branches was draped in mourning thirty days. Ex- 
Presidents. Cabinet officers. Foreign .Ambassadors, 
Senators, Congressmen, and men ])r<)minent in ])ub- 
lic life joined in voicing their high esteem and their 
grief. The great ])apers issued eulogies and many po- 
litical and commercial bodies passed resolutions of 

lO 



condolence. The grief and tribute to the man were 
national and profound. 

It only remains to this sketch to say a few words 
about the achievements of Secretary Windom. 

Coming into Congress ( 1859) at a time when North 
and South were preparing for the grapple of the Civil 
War, Mr. Windom had exce]:)tional opportunity of 
serving his country in the legislative side of this cru- 
cial experience. He was a trusted friend and ad- 
viser of President Lincoln. His committee positions 
involved the highest responsibilities and he w^as no- 
table in the debates of those stirring days of war and 
reconstruction. In the Senate Air. Windom occupied 
the places of influence. He was at one time chairman 
of the Committee on Appropriations, and later chair- 
man of the Committee on Foreign Relations. Wlien 
the Senate appointed a special committee on Trans- 
portation Routes to the Seaboard, Senator W^indom 
was made the chairman. There were, practically, only 
local lines of railroad from the interior and no im- 
provements at Sault Ste. ?\Iarie. Upon this great 
problem Mr. Windom spent months of investigation 
and study. The report has become one of our great 
historical documents, and has been a large factor in 
the establishing of our present great systems of trans- 
portation by sea and land. Senator Hoar in referring 
to this report on the floor of the Senate said, 'T think 
Senators who have attended to the subject will agree 
generally that the most valual)le state paper of modern 
times published by this country is the report made by 
the late Senator and Secretary of the Treasury, ^Nlr. 



Windom, from the Committee on Transportation 
Routes to the Seaboard, on the general question of the 
relation of the railroads to the commerce of the coun- 
try, and the means of controlling the railroads in the 
interests of commerce. That most instructive, valua- 
ble and profound report brings the subject down to 
the year 1873." 

Mr. Windom's notable achievements in the Secre- 
taryship will give his name lasting prominence with 
those of Hamilton, Gallatin and Chase in their ad- 
ministration of the Treasury. During his last admin- 
istration, he came to the aid of the nation on the verge 
of a panic by putting some $75,000,000 suddenly into 
circulation. Amid the financial uncertainties of the 
nation about the year 1890 his administration of the 
Treasury steadied our whole financial system. The 
refunding- of the national debt during Garfield's admin- 
istration is perhaps the broadest foundation for his 
lasting fame. The outgoing administration had failed 
finally to pass the refunding act to take care of up- 
wards of $700,000,000 of bonds coming due July ist, 
1881, and bearing 5 per cent and 6 per cent interest. 
The public credit was at stake. To allow the bonds 
to continue meant an unnecessary expense of $11,000,- 
000 annually. Many proposed an extra session of 
Congress. Into this emergency Secretary Windom 
came when he took the portfolio. He resolved on he- 
roic treatment, on performing what was claimed to be 
the impossible. He advertised the willingness of the 
government to exchange bonds bearing 3!/^ per cent 
for outstanding bonds, before a certain day. To the 

12 



astonishment of financiers the response was so uni- 
versal that only $55,000,000 of bonds were paid and 
the balance of the $700,000,000 refunded at the low 
rate, and this without the disturbance of business or 
financial excitement. For this brave and skillful act 
the Secretary received unstinted praise from papers 
of all political faiths. 

It remains only to Ijear witness to the loftv Chris- 
tion character of the man. Making public profes- 
sion of Christ as a young man, Mr. W'indom, with 
modesty, bore consistent testimony to his sincere and 
deep religious convictions throughout his life. AMieth- 
er in his home church at A\'inona, or in the public life 
in Washington, he was always the humble servant of 
the Great blaster as well as the Ijroad-minded Chris- 
tian statesman. In the cause of the Anti-Saloon Re- 
publican convention lie was an imoortant factor. In 
his careful observance of the Sabbath he was note- 
worth}'. In his interest in all that promoted the king- 
dom of Christ he has left an example to all of us who 
honor his name and memory. 

Such, in brief, was the exalted man for whom our 
Ijeloved school is named. 



13 



THE SCHOOL 



THE SCHOOL 

And now we turn to the story of the school upon 
which the name of this great statesman was bestowed, 
soon after his death, at the request of the Minnesota 
friends of William Windom and by consent of his fam- 
ily, and which stands today as his principal monu- 
ment in the state which honored him with its highest 
offices, and which he honored in the exalted places of 
the nation. 

In 1884 President Strong of Carleton College sug- 
gested at a meeting of the State Association of Con- 
gregational Churches, the necessity of Academies or 
Fitting Schools in different sections of "Minnesota. 

About Montevideo was a large part of the State 
without any such ])rivate effort to interest and help the 
young people in attempts to get an education. Indeed, 
there was hardly a boy or girl in all that region who 
had any aspiration for a "higher education" or com- 
prehension of what that term stood for. 

To create a new standard of culture for Western 
Minnesota, and to link such an effort to the inspiring 
forces of religion, was the thought in the minds of 
those who founded the Western Minnesota Seminary 
in 1885. 

A corporation of twenty-six members, with pro- 
vision as to its relation to the churches and to Carle- 
ton College, was organized to carry out the plans for 
this enterprise, and steps were taken for the raising 
of funds. 

The canvass of Montevideo and vicinity resulted in 
pledges of $22,000, face value. This amount, consid- 



ering the limited means of the givers, has rarely, if 
ever, been exceeded for generosity in the history of 
any school. To C. A. Strong belongs the honor of the 
first pledge — one thousand dollars. As a community 
the people of Montevideo have again and again shown 
their interest in the Academy by other generous gifts 
and their hearty support. The six early gifts which 
bespoke the interest of the outside world were the 
pledges of Alvin Pratt, of Manchester, N. H., for $i,- 
Goo; of Mrs. Perkins, of Hartford, for $i,ooo; of H. 
W. Herrick, of Manchester, N. H., for $500; of M. A. 
Herrick, of Winchester, Mass., for $800; of Judge E. 
S. Jones, for $1,000; and that of ]\Irs. Irene Hale, for 
$500, both of Minneapolis, l^'riends in Manchester, N. 
H., in Boston and in Hartford subscribed at this time a 
total of about $1,500, besides the gifts mentioned 
above. The Northfield people, led by Rev. E. M. Will- 
iams, a director of the school, were very generous in 
their help, remembering, doubtless, the early struggle 
of their own more ambitious institution. 

How each of these gifts encouraged those who felt 
the burden of the Academy! May the reward of these 
early givers be as large as was their faith and liberal- 
ity! 

]\Iean while, in the fall of 1885, the school was open- 
ed, if the attendance of three boys and one girl the first 
day may be dignified by such a phrase. An old hotel 
on the hill was secured and fitted up as well as the 
poverty of our treasury allowed. The office and par- 
lor were recitation rooms, the dining room an assem- 
bly hall{?) while a little dingy back room served as 

18 



an art and music department. But teachers, not build- 
ings, make a school, and in its faculty this young en- 
terprise was most fortunate. James T. Fairchild, of 
Oberlin and Harvard, was the principal, a man who 
inherited from his father, Pres. Fairchild, an integri- 
ty and ability that were of great importance in this 
formative period of the school. !Miss Julia V. Finney, 
from Carleton College, brought to the school excep- 
tional teaching ability and a sympathy with its pur- 
poses which gave her great patience under trying cir- 
cumstances. J\liss Lizzie Cady, of Oberlin, had charge 
of the musical instruction and brought rare training 
to her task. Miss Minnie Bailey, from Carleton, un- 
dertook with success art instruction in the school and 
village. 

These teachers, whose salaries were always small 
and often months behind, stood nobly by the young 
enterprii»;e, and their unselfishness is worthv of a gener- 
ous acknowledgement, and was one of the sources of 
the ultimate success of the school. 

This early period was one of great financial diffi- 
culties. The school was almost unknown, its perma- 
nency often scofifed at both at Montevideo and abroad, 
scholars were slow in enlisting in its untried ranks, 
while our quarters were about as cold and dismal as 
could well be found. 

This uncertainty in regard to the future embar- 
rassed the management greatly in the collection of 
pledges, which had been conditioned in the minds of 
many subscribers on something larger than they saw. 

19 




JUDGE E. S. JONES. 



At the same time it did not seem wise to emliarrass the 
young enterprise by multipUed suits at law to enforce 
claims that might later be collected with good feeling 
among all concerned, for the friendship of these very 
donors was often of great importance to the school. 

In this situation the corporation felt that a Ijuild- 
ing was absolutely necessary, both for the sake of the 
now growing school and as a token of good faith and 
permanency to those local parties who had been in- 
duced to subscribe large sums. But although the cel- 
lar was excavated, the foundation put in and some 
brick purchased, we could go no further in 1887 for 
lack of financial backing. Indeed, our other obliga- 
tions during the winter of 1887-8 often threatened to 
swam]) the unknown school. 

In one of our most depressed periods it was ru- 
mored one morning that a stranger was in town in- 
quiring about the academy. It seems that statements 
of the situation had appealed to Judge E. S. Jones, 
of Minneapolis, so strongly that he had come to Alon- 
tevideo on the night train to investigate for himself. 
How good that great, honest, kindly face looked to us 
that day as he assured us "that the school is not going 
to give up, it is going to succeed, and you tell them 
that I say so." Froiu that day Judge Jones was our 
large hearted, wise friend and counselor, giving of his 
time and money to supplement our other efforts wdien 
he felt we had done all that could be expected of us. 

Tlie following spring we went at the building in 
earnest. For ten thousand dollars we attempted to 
build a structure that should include a heating plant, 

21 



a boarding department, recitation, music and art 
rooms, beside quarters for the matron, the faculty, and 
the girl students. It is not strange that our venture 
surprised us by costing a half more than was planned. 

A\'hen we entered upon this expense we had the 
following sources from which we were promised 
funds: A financier had imdertaken to raise $10,000 
for this very purpose. As his former success in 
this line had been unvarying, we thdughl we could 
count on that amount, especially as a third of the sum 
was pledged conditionally as a start. We had at Mon- 
tevideo a considerable amount due on subscription 
notes given which we had a right to exjiect we would 
realize on without legal suasion when our building 
was actually in process of construction. A promise 
also of $2,000 on the building had been made us bv a 
person in a situation to secure that amount. A mort- 
gage of $5,000 was agreed upon with ])arties in the 
East. In \iew of these things Judge Jones had en- 
couraged us to proceed with our undertaking, helping 
us most generously with his credit. This was the sit- 
uation when the officers of the institution assumed the 
responsibilit}' of building. 

l>ut that was a perverse fall for our jilans. The 
financier raised one hundred dollars and (lro])pcd his 
work, leaving us short the balance of the ten thousand 
dollars. While enough money was raised at Monte- 
video from pledges to pa}' the large freight bills, and 
something more, we did not realize enough to help us 
through. The promise of two thousand dollars help 
was brushed airily aside wdien we needed the money 

22 



so sorely. In making final arrang-ements for the loan 
on mortgage the attorney decided that there was a 
fatal error in our articles of incorporation and that 
killed the loan. Judge Jones had been so ill in the 
spring that he was compelled to go abroad for his 
health, taking care before he started to provide for 
such emergencies as could then be foreseen : so that his 
generous and unfailing help was beyond our reach. 
And in the midst of all these bitter disappointments 
Jones Hall gradually assumed shape. 

On one occasion, a Saturday afternoon, the brick- 
layers threatened to put a lien on the building to se- 
cure their pay. This meant a half-finished monument 
to our failure. All the resources were exhausted. 
There was no money to be had although hours of 
weary efifort had been put forth that day to obtain 
what was necessary. As a last resort the writer took 
his last available money, borrowed more of one of the 
students living with him and presenting the matter to 
two liberal-minded storekeepers obtained on his own 
credit the balance needed. Just at six o'clock, as the 
men were leaving, the money was paid to them that for 
the time ])revented catastrophe. Perhaps ii: is not unfair 
to remark in passing that the writer, paying the other 
parties, carried this debt for the school six years un- 
paid. At another time, when the laborers threatened 
to stop the work, until the week's wages were forth- 
coming the case was laid before Banker Eliason, who 
handed out four hundred dollars without a line of se- 
curity, a generous act that will always stand to his 
honor. 

23 



L. R. Mover. C. H. Bucld, and L. G. Mover, bank- 
ers, extended again and again the help that meant al- 
most the life of the school. 

The kindness of these and the many other constant 
friends at Montevideo were bright spots in the local 
situation that very dark year. 

There was only one resolution that stood between 
success and utter collapse again and again that sum- 
mer. It was the resolution that as long as there was 
a single step further that might be taken we would not 
give u}) the enterprise, and (jod always made room for 
the taking of that one more step until we came 
through to victory at last. 

The builders, "The 11. X. Leighton Company." of 
Mimieapolis, who had assumed some of our bills and 
left their own account largely unpaid, had it in their 
power at this time to leave the building unfinished and 
to cause us endless embarrassment. To their credit 
be it said that they showed us every consideration, fin- 
ished the building and acted the magnanimous ])art in 
every particular. 

In September. 1888, the State Association of Con- 
gregatit)nal churches met at Owatonna. \Ve were in 
the most embarrassing situation at that time and when 
a report was called for from the Academy a simple 
statement of the serious situation was given. Wyman 
Elliot was in the chair and his generous heart was so 
appealed to that at the close of the report he started a 
movement for help by giving a farm outright ; Carle- 
ton College waived its right to time wdiile Pres. Strong 
and Prof. Goodhue made efYective pleas for Montevi- 



deo. Messrs. ^lorley and Evans took the platform and 
in half an hour $2,500 was subscribed to help the em- 
barrassed school, gifts coming from every part of the 
State. 

This contribution, so gerierous and so helpful, was 
wholly spontaneous — an uprising of that old Congre- 
gational love of the Christian school which has left its 
mark on our nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 

Judge Jones returned also in September, and, al- 
though too ill to be seen, arranged for the relief of our 
most pressing needs by help aggregating nearly $5,000 
eventually. 

Other obligations had to wait for the necessary 
changes in our articles of incorporation and the mort- 
gage loan of $6,000. This sum helped our indebted- 
ness on our site and building, but by no means pro- 
vided for the expenses which had accrued in keeping 
the academy in session during the period of our great- 
est poverty. Our local obligations began to be better 
paid and the sentiment of the village became much 
more appreciative of the school. 

Meanwhile our attendance, and hence our tuitions, 
were increasing until in these ways we felt that the 
experimental stage had been passed. 

This narrative of struggle brings our story to about 
1890, when new forces began to enter into the making 
of the school. One of the most important of these was 
the coming of Charles \V. Headley, with his gifted 
wife, to the principalship of the school. Educated in 
Ripon College and Yale Di\inity School, Principal 

2s 




WALTER S. BENTON. 



Headley brought to us a type of manly religion which 
left its impress upon the character of our graduates for 
the next decade. There were times during those ten 
years which tried men's souls and would have induced 
a less consecrated man to leave the school to find 
its own way out of its profound difficulties. But Prin- 
cipal Headley stood through storm and stress, and 
only resigned on the return of harmonious and pros- 
perous days. For this invaluable service he is always 
honored among us. 

In this same year Rev. C. E. Page, of Fergus Falls, 
was elected president of the Trustees. He instituted a 
temporary endowment to bring an income of $5,000 a 
year to the school for three years. The raising of a 
permanent endowment was also begun by President 
Page and pledges of $15,000 obtained. But these were 
so conditioned that upon the relinquishing of the plan 
the pledges were returned. 

The change of name from The Western Minnesota 
Seminarv to W'indom Institute was brought about by a 
petition to the Windom family, stating the desirability of 
making the monument to the memory of the great states- 
man such a living institution rather than any mere shaft 
of marble or tablet of bronze. The dignified character 
of this document may be judged from the fact that it 
contained the names of eight governors, present and past. 

During these years the school was fortunate in in- 
teresting ^Ir. W. S. Benton, of Minneapolis, in its fu- 
ture. His sympathy with our purposes and his pro- 
phetic measure of the future of western Minnesota led 
him to provide in his will an endowment of $25,000 as 



a basis for the permanence of the undertaking. Since 
the death of Mr. Benton, ]\Irs. Benton has proved her- 
self one of the most generous and gracious friends of 
Windom Institute. 

The dedication of Jones Hall in 1891 brought to 
Montevideo a notable company, including the highest 
officials of the state and men of mark in business and 
educational circles. The work done by the school won 
the admiration and permanent friendship of many of 
these visitors. 

The school has always found friends to help in 
times of great need. In 1897, when the State Associa- 
tion of Congregational Churches met at Montevideo 
the floating debt of $10,000 was lifted by the repre- 
sentatives of the churches, 'iliis movement, headed 
by Rev. Dr. David X. IJeach, estal)lished the school in 
the affection of the churches of the state which have 
proved their interest by their gifts in the years since. 
The year 1902 witnessed the payment of the last en- 
cumbrance on the property — a mortgage for $4,000 
which had been carried for fifteen years. 

In our darkest days that ancient and honorable or- 
ganization, the Congregational Education Society, 
came to our assistance with its counsel and generous 
financial aid. There have been several factors, each 
one of which we are accustomed to say has been of vi- 
tal importance. The Educational Society, through the 
visits of its Secretaries and its gifts for the sustenance 
of the school, is surely one of the most important of 
these. 

To sum up tlie record of these years, we may say 
28 



this was a decade in which Windom Institute made 
friends — generous, wise, 1) road-minded friends. 

Of what we may call the modern history, where 
those associated actively in the conduct of the school 
are concerned, we may not with propriety say the ap- 
preciative words which spring- so readily to the pen. 
Marion L. Burton and his wife came to the school in 
1900 and are today, by their broad and deep interest, 
our honored leaders. Miss Hannah 'SI. Griffith, of 
Carleton and Wellesley training, has tilled most ad- 
mirably the position of preceptress-teacher. ]\Iiss 
Ellen Julin and Miss Theodora Anderson, from Carle- 
ton, are our valued assistants. Mrs. Charles H. Budd 
has for years assumed with acceptance the responsi- 
bility for the department of music and the annual 
concerts under her lead are a popular feature of our 
work. Frank H. Evans conducts a prosperous busi- 
ness course and Miss W'ickstrom teaches needlework 
and sewing to the young ladies of the school. The 
latter department we seek means to enlarge into some- 
what extended industrial training.. 

From this rapid survey of history and present fact 
we hope the reader may have gained an impression 
that this school has that kind of solidity which is only 
gained by difficulties overcome. A school which seeks 
to commemorate a statesman like William Windom 
should be on an assured basis. 

We hope, too, that we have conveyed an adequate 
impression of the breadth and scope of our plans for 
this Institute so that it will commend itself to those 
who love and admire Mr. Windom and believe in 

christian education. 

29 



Windom Institute stands in a favorable position 
geographically. It is in the center of a thickly settled 
and rich farming section about two hundred and fifty 
miles in diameter if the nearest colleges are the limits. 
This section is to contain scores of small cities and 
hundreds of prosperous villages, a large proportion of 
which may look to Windom Institute for the help of 
hundreds of young people who cannot for one reason 
or another link themselves with the High Schools. But 
the great mission of the schcx)! is to the boys and girls 
of the farm whose awakening to the value of an educa- 
tion comes too late for entrance on the gradetl school 
curriculum. Many of these have rare (lualitications for 
making noble and able men and women. To give to 
these, with the underlymg foundation of religion, the 
culture of such a school is to transform mone>' into 
unfathomed ])()wer and inlluence. To ])lant in the 
hearts of such boys and girls an un(|uenchable thirst 
for an education is to put within tliem the force that 
will win them the higher education in spite of any 
poverty or discouragement. That in our opinion is 
the best bestowment for a boy or girl. 

We have done that for hundreds at Windom Insti- 
tute, and il is our mission to ])lanl the same measure of 
opportunities, of life and of character in thousands of 
other young lives in the years to come. 

To do this res]:)onsil)le work for so large a section of 
one of the great western commonwealths, and at the same 
time to carry to coming generations the name and 
fame of a great Christian statesman is a worthy serv- 
ice to God and mankind. To a share in this service 

3^ 



we invite you and to the solid satisfaction of joining 
in such a work we welcome you. 

Windom the man and the school! May the char- 
acter of the one be ever more highly cherished and 
honored, and the service to mankind of the other grow 
broader and more unselfish ! 



31 



SEP 81 1903 



54 W 



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